Day-to-Day Antigua
Please find hints and tips for getting out, getting around and creating the Antiguan experience you want.
Getting Around
AUA contracts with an independent bus service, providing subsidized transportation to quickly get you to and from campus and housing facilities. To access other locales on the island, taxi service is quick and reliable, with fixed fares to popular destinations.
Renting or buying a car is also an option. Numerous rental agencies can be found on the island, including ones in St. John’s and at V.C. Bird International Airport. Cars are available for purchase from dealerships, private owners and other AUA students leaving for their clinical clerkships. On the island, temporary Antiguan driver’s licenses are necessary; rental agencies can facilitate acquiring them, or you can contact the Antigua and Barbuda Transport Board for licensure and other information.
Note: cars in Antigua are driven on the opposite side of the road than in the United States.
Shopping and Groceries
St. John’s is home to Epicurean, a newly built supermarket that mixes a wide range of global brands with local produce and baked goods. In addition, a weekly farmer’s market provides opportunities to browse the selection of fresh fruits and vegetables grown on the island. Epicurean has a secondary location, with a pharmacy, in the Jolly Harbour commercial area. First Choice rounds out the list of supermarkets near the campus.
Although all necessities are available on the island, Amazon and other large internet retailers will ship to you (contact the vendor for details on government duties). For luxury shopping, there are a variety of upscale stores close at hand in St. John’s, and a short jaunt away in English Harbour.
Stepping Out
There are over a hundred restaurants on the island, offering everything from fine dining to fast food. St. John’s also hosts a number of clubs and live music venues for students looking to unwind. For more seasonal celebrations, the island observes Sailing Week in late April or early May, Carnival in July/August, and AUA holds the Freedom Fest every semester to celebrate AUA’s student diversity, and to raise funds for local Antiguan charities.
For more tips and opportunities, see the following sites. But don’t be shy about asking around. The best resource can often be the people sitting right next to you.